Perth streets closed as protesters say what the conference cannot.

There is a long tradition in democratic societies of taking to the streets—of using the physical space of a city to voice dissent, to say aloud what cannot be said in the quiet of a conference hall. This week in Perth, that tradition unfolded once more, as hundreds of protesters marched against the Land Forces defence expo, a gathering of the world's weapons makers in a city that had not hosted it before.

The three-day expo, billed as the largest land defence industry event in Australia, opened Tuesday at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, drawing industry representatives from 60 countries and nearly 1,000 exhibiting organizations . On Tuesday evening, about 600 protesters marched from Yagan Square to Elizabeth Quay, chanting anti-war slogans and carrying placards that read "There is no future in war" and "Warmongers not welcome" . The march was peaceful, with no arrests reported .

The demonstration was organized by the Anti-War Collective and supported by more than 30 organizations. A seven-meter inflatable missile was carried to symbolize the threat of nuclear war . Noongar elders held a traditional smoking ceremony at the start, followed by a flash mob dancing to Edwin Starr's anti-war anthem "War" .

"We've got to choose between peace and we've got to choose between war," one protester, Paddy Cullen, told the ABC . Another, Danica Scott, noted that the $11.5 million spent on police security for the expo could have gone toward addressing the cost-of-living crisis .

The expo has drawn significant security measures. Western Australia Police were granted temporary extra powers, including the ability to ban "excluded persons" from the event's security zone . About 12 people were excluded . Greens staffer Matilda Lane-Rose, one of those banned, successfully challenged the restriction in the Supreme Court and was permitted to enter the zone for a limited window on Tuesday to film content .

Police described the operation as the largest in the state in more than 15 years, involving facial recognition technology, live drone vision, and multi-agency coordination .

The protests in Perth stand in contrast to the violence that marred the same expo in Melbourne in 2024, when 24 police officers were injured and dozens of protesters were arrested . For now, the streets have been walked, the voices heard, and the expo continues.

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Sources: Nine, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, WAtoday, Riverine Herald, Brisbane Times